Storage

Are you a busy mum who is juggling Monday meal preps, with a full time job, with school runs, with Date Night, the Sunday Football mornings, with Thursday night swimming, with Friday night Zumba classes when you can, with your full time job, with catching up with Sarah and Joe, with catching up with your mum, with getting that upper lip waxed, with keeping the house in check, with making sure that the kids don’t go to school in their PJs….? The list goes on! And if that all sounds all too familiar, then we are sure that all this juggling has got you feeling tired, run down and in much need of an exotic break, alone, on a desert island.

With all that stress going on, it’s not surprising that you might be looking for shortcuts wherever you can to break up your working week. But this may be effecting you more than you think, leaving you with a life-filled with clutter, unhealthy foods, unhappy relationships and more hopes and dreams that are on the back-burner, whilst you are nothing more than burnt out with no back-up.

For many of us, the clutter and ‘stuff’ around us can feel like a ’fortress’ that stays consistent and habitual, whilst the rest of out lives are up in the air and out of our control. The same is true with food. Are you comforting yourself and covering your daily stresses with one too many packets of crisp? It’s easily done.

Over the past few years, researchers have shown that there is a definite link between losing clutter and losing weight. This is because, at times of stress, everyone has different ways of dealing with life, “some people start smoking, some people exercise, some people move in and out of relationships, some people hoard, and some people turn to food”, but even the healthiest of coping mechanisms can become unhealthy when used in the wrong way.

So, if you are reading this and you feel like the above makes sense to you in one way or another, have no fear. Your solution may be one Spring Clean away.

Nutritionist Keri Glassman, R.D., says that ”A behavioural and physiological chain reaction is put into motion by having a streamlined space," she says. Picture the domino effect of a messy closet: The chaos makes it harder to choose clothes. You're late. No time for breakfast, which can slow your metabolism and release the fattening stress hormone cortisol.” Yes, that’s right, being stressed can make you hold on to fat! So imagine, how unstressed you would feel if your morning routine was streamlined, clean and unstressful. You may actually make it to 11am without having 3 coffees and another snack from the vending machine…

Now that you’ve got that visualisation, let’s look at how you get rid of all of that stuff, that emotional baggage and that unfinished business that’s standing in your way.

De-Document: Get rid of the documents from past careers, love letters from long ago lovers, diary doodles, shopping lists.

Finish or Forget the Unfinished business: if you don’t want to run a marathon one day, then don’t, otherwise guilt will run your world. You run your world. Doing a list every morning, of everything going on in your head can truly help you to clear the mind before the day begins. That way you can create a specific to-do list for the day. One little trick, is to always choose something on the list which is really not that important, and eliminate it!

Unroll that inbox, don’t let you digital life swamp your real-world life

Gifts for future self: GET RID! Too often we think ‘oh this toy will be great for my child’, and ‘this dress will look nice when I lose weight’, and ‘this toaster that my mum gave me will be perfect when I save up and my own house’, but actually these are all coping mechanisms, that are thought of through fear that you may not be able to get your own things. Most commonly women keep clothes for years and years, thinking they need them, but actually you don’t and you are just holding on to these things based on hope and fear. We hang onto far more objects than we need, and, instead of motivating us, they become talismans of guilt and shame. What if you don’t lose weight? Well that dress you kept will just be a reminder of your failure, but how many items do you need to hold on to before they start controlling you.

Unloved items: When you are clearing out, ask yourself these questions, do you honestly need this item? Do you love it? Does it have some sort of significance in your life? Does it serve a purpose? If the answer to all of these questions is “no,” it’s time to get rid of that thing and move onto the next one.

Let your goals shape your organising: If you want to become more consistent with your gym raining, then organise your training gear into a space near your front door where they are easily grab-able on your way out in the morning.

You can't keep hiding the things you don’t use or need:

The truth is, physical or non-physical, whatever bits and bobs you are holding onto, you can’t hide them in the cupboard forever. All of those things will pile up and be carried with you and niggle at you. For example, just this weekend I felt this same stress come over me, because I realised that the 5 pairs of shoes that are gracing my living room floor, waiting for my partner to sell on eBay, have now been there for over a month.

These shoes have been subconsciously walking by my side since they were placed next to my TV, and although I hadn’t mentioned that to my partner sooner, in a moment of stress and frustration I realised that we just needed to get rid instead of waiting for a bid.

What do you want from your life?

It’s important that you pick one thing at at a time to declutter and don’t decide to say ‘I don’t want to deal with this today’, the more you can make organisation a way of living, the clearer your head will feel and the more mindful you will be. Some of you may hate the thought of putting cleaning up at the top of the list, before your full time job, catching up with Sarah and Joe, catching up with your mum, getting that upper lip waxed… but try it and see how cleaning up some actual space, can leave you with some breathing space to get through your busy life with easy, more lightly, physically and psychologically.

Your garage is the storage site of your home, filled with a variety of home valuables and a multitude of bits ‘n’ bobs. So when you lack effective organisation and efficiency it’s no shock when your garage becomes a cave filled with balls, tools, old toys and bikes that seem to find their way there.

So as we’re experts in storage, we’ve come up with some helpful garage storage solutions for you to organise and maximise the space in one of the most cluttered areas of your home.

Magnet strips to hold tools

Never lose your tools again. If you don’t own a toolbox or need your tools to hand when working on a little project in your garage, this is the solution for you! Magnet strips can be mounted to the wall will hold your tools. So you won’t have a screw loose looking for your tools.

Wall storage

A popular garage storage solution, wall storage is a great way to store your accessories in your garage. Ideal for garages with limited space or for those who want to make space without the use of storage boxes. Wall storage may take a lot of planning to ensure everything has its place, but when it's done well it can make a great visual impact and make finding things incredibly easy. From bikes and balls to garden tools and games, it’s one of the coolest ways to organise your garage.

Basket case

Mounted baskets can be the perfect solution for all your 'odds and ends', those miscellaneous belongings that you can't quite sort or label. Whether the baskets are on the wall or hanging from the ceiling you'll always be able to see the contents and easily locate that missing part of the puzzle. To be even more organised and save time in the future you should at least give a broad label to each basket, for example, 'Bike stuff' or 'Gardening bits'.

Overhead storage

You can move all your light and less-commonly used stuff into overhead storage in your garage. You can fit racks to hold your sports equipment or hooks or bars to hold ladders. Keeping these items overhead will maximise floor space and can be easily reached at any time for your convenience. Who knows, you might even have room to fit the car in once you're done.

A fold-out workbench

A perfect way to save your space is easily stowing away your workbench. When your workbench isn’t in use, it can easily convert into the downward position. It’s an ideal solution because you get the best of both worlds. Whenever you need your bench it can seamlessly fold up and be put to full use. Just make sure you put your various nuts and bolts away before folding it down!

However, if you still need to keep your valuables in storage and can’t store them in your garage, contact us for more information on our storage units that can save you.

Moving can be one of the most stressful things you’ll ever do. But it doesn’t have to be. Doing a bit of pre-move planning can be an effective way to make it a smooth process. Here are some helpful hints & tips to help make your moving process easy, so that you don’t have a headache, lose any underwear or misplace something special!

"Home is where the heart is, Even if you can’t remember which box you packed it in"

1. Preparation and planning are key

Getting moving materials early can save you so much time! To make your packing process stress-free and smooth. Some of the moving materials you’ll need are:

Boxes (obviously)

Bubble Wrap (which can also help with the stress!)

Tape

Black marker pens

Labels

No matter how far away the moving date is, it comes around quicker than you’d think! Having everything prepared already means you’re halfway there and slowly packing up until the moving date makes the job easier too. You can even use empty suitcases when packing - just remember to label what’s going into them! Just like the old proverb: Fail to prepare, prepare to be stressed during the move!

2. Label everything!

Lists and labels - the two important L’s in moving. Make lists of all the different rooms you’re going to pack up and check them off once you’re done. These can be lists that you can progressively go through, checking each room off your list as you go through the home. Colour-coding them helps too, allowing you to distinguish between your belongings; for example, using blue for the bathroom and yellow for the kitchen. Plus, don’t forget to label which way is up! You’d be surprised how many times fragile goods are damaged through neglecting this small detail.

3. Lighten the load

Take or toss? That is the question. Moving can be a good time to declutter your home before you have a fresh start in your new place - out with the old! You can also designate boxes to stay organised whilst moving. You can label boxes with categories like: keep, store, sell and throw. Through decluttering, you can sort through all the belongings which you won’t need for moving and maximise the space in your new home.

4. Pack from the Top Down

Packing from the top of your home and working your way down is more effective and it stops you getting caught in a sea of boxes. You can start with the hardest rooms at the top first, so the packing process is easier as the moving date gets closer. The attic is one of the hardest rooms to declutter, so with one of the most time-consuming areas all packed away, you’ll feel ready to tackle the next level of your home.

5. Get the right removal van or men

Organising your removal van or men is important for you. If you’re moving a short distance, it can be easier to just hire a van to make trips. However, if you’re moving a considerable distance and need some extra help, organising removal men at an early date can save you some considerable money. On that note, always remember to shop around and compare, get detailed estimates from a few removal companies before deciding on one.

After the busy Christmas period (countdown to do it again in 11 months!) you may feel like you want to detox and declutter after the New Year. After all, "New Year, New You"! You’ve made your resolutions and are determined to stick to them… even your fitness one! Out with the old, in with the new. But before bringing in anything, you should consider detoxing and decluttering your home so it’s organised and ready to bring in the new. Here are some useful tips to consider when organising your home.

Make a Detox List

Making a declutter checklist is a good start to detoxing your home. You can create a list for each area of the home, beginning with the easiest. It's a great way to keep track of what and where you've decluttered, such as drawers, cupboards, or closets. Moreover, this can let you keep track of everything you want to keep or store away.

One Step at a Time

Think small before thinking big. Try tackling one room at a time instead of doing everything at once. This will get you into the rhythm of setting decluttering goals and checklists when you finish one area of your home then moving onto the next. You can start by dedicating 20-30 minutes to working on a specific area of your home, then move on to another room. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Decluttering may take time, but if you’re consistent with it and set an end date, you should be done quicker than you think! Don’t forget to start with the sock drawer too - that holds the most clutter!

Stop Hoarding!

Get rid of old items from the past year(s) which are taking up space. Hoarding takes up so much space and can be messy. So when you're decluttering and you come across an old unused item, ask yourself “Do I really need this?”, "Is this really relevant to keep?". If it’s of sentimental value then obviously, yes, keep it. However, if it’s just old packaging or utensils that are of no use, then you can get rid of them.

Make Designated Boxes

Having designated boxes is a great way to organise your clutter, and you will know what you need to store away to make room. You can have different boxes for "Keep" or "Maybe" so it'll be easier to know what to store away later. Plus, you can always make use of old gift boxes from the previous Christmas period. Or if you’re feeling creative, get crafty and make your own storage containers! For example, to store little bathroom items or makeup, you can glue little boxes together, decorate them to make them pretty and store your little accessories in them.

If you need somewhere to store all your unused items before deciding what to do with them, contact us for more information on which of our brilliant and accessible storage units. Or if you want an instant quote, why not get an estimate from us? This will send an estimated quote to your inbox for you to keep in your records. Detox and declutter your home for the great new year ahead!

Merry Christmas from our family at Beyond! Every year we are so pleased to see our community on site and on social media growing, and if we could, we would send Christmas cards to every single one of you. But we know that for some of you, another Christmas card on the shelf is the last thing you want amongst the Christmas decorations, the family photos and hidden presents!

In fact, Christmas is definitely a common time of year for feeling like you have too many things and feel like your home needs a good decluttering. If that sounds familiar, then why not take a few of the following steps in order to freshen up your home this festive season:

Decorative presents that can be used as storage boxes too!

That way you can hide away any of your normal bits and bobs to make way for those all important Christmas lights, holly leaves and tinsel tassels. Plus you can hide the odd real present in between them in plain site!

Create bunting from your cards

That way, your window sills, fireplaces and shelves can stay clear. Plus your Christmas cards won't be falling over all over the place! You can hang them up wherever you'd like and they'll be easy to fold away without getting lost whilst on the string!

Decide to group your knick knacks into colours

So rather than getting all of them out every year, you can choose a different colour depending on you’re holiday mood. Grouping them in to the classic Christmas colours of red, green and gold is always a good start... unless you’re like us and love a good orange Christmas (perfect for the AW17 copper interior look)!

If those options just aren’t enough for the abundance of presents you need to hide and for cutting clutter, then you can always make use of our highly secure and affordable self storage units!

As a Christmas, we're offering 1 month's free storage and insurance! So don’t miss out on the opportunity to make this Christmas a memorable one. Contact us for more information, or get a quote straight to your inbox. Make room for the things that really matter this festive season.

Need to make space for family and friends coming for the festive season? Want to keep your extra belongings somewhere safe during this beyond busy period? We want to make this wintertime easier for you by extending our Black Friday storage offer to a Cyber Monday. One week free storage and one month’s free insurance is once again available! Just like a squirrel needs somewhere to store its nuts, we all need somewhere safe, convenient and accessible to store our goods in winter.

We have gorgeous and accessible storage locations across the UK, each site enables you to store valuables securely and offers great accessibility. You can also choose a storage unit which best suits your needs. All of our storage units come with 24/7 CCTV security, so you can be assured your belongings are in good hands. Furthermore, with fingerprint access, you’ll have peace of mind knowing they are beyond safe in our insulated storage units. Remember, this is all free storage for one week and free insurance for one month! Don't miss out on this fantastic offer before it's gone for winter. Why not get an estimate directly to your inbox. Also, feel free to contact us at one of our many locations for more information.

Need some convenient space to store your goods and valuables? You’ll be beyond belief with this brilliant Black Friday storage offer that we are offering to you for a limited time only! How does one week of free storage and one month of free insurance sound? You can store your goods away this winter at one of our many accessible and gorgeous locations.

Choose whichever size storage unit best suits your needs online now and you can always change your mind when you arrive on site - and remember it’s free storage for a week and free insurance for one month! With 24/7 security, you can be sure your belongings are beyond safe with us. Furthermore, with fingerprint access, you are free to get to your belongings at any time which is convenient for you. Don’t miss out on this amazing offer - rather, get in touch today for a free estimate directly to your inbox.

We all need bedroom storage solutions, and as the bedroom is one of the most used rooms in the home, it’s likely to be the room with the most belongings. But the question remains. Where will it all go? Save time, money and hassle with some easy and simple bedroom storage solutions that can simply transform your room.

Charging basket:

Create a little charging area for you devices by attaching a basket on your desk, then you can easily charge your phone without the worry of tripping over the wire or having less floor space. In this compact basket all your charging essentials are in one place and even better in easier reach.

Key and bag holder:

Have you ever misplaced your keys? You sit and say to yourself “i’m pretty sure I left it right there?” Now you can definitely find them with easy to install dud door-handles, with a dud key too. Not only can you attach your key to the key ring but also you can use the door handle to hang up your own bag too. Then you can have more room and easily find everything you need just before you go out the door.

Shelves:

Embrace the power of shelves and the amount of space they can create, they can store things that may not need to be used for a long period of time. Additionally, in smaller bedrooms they can be effective by adding a clothes rod to act as a open wardrobe. Aesthetic and easy!

Pocket holders:

Create a sectional holder for essential leads, even add labels to divide them up and make it easier to find. This can then be stored in a drawer or on a shelf so it is in reach and also makes it easy to find exactly what you are looking for.

Don’t forget the corners:

The corners of the room can be the most unused space as it is the most difficult to acquaint. But no need to worry as you can simply put up corner shelves, especially near the bedside, then you can have your own space saving night table and you have created more room too.

Cozy and Close:

Let the snug life choose you with this simple bedside caddy. Don’t you hate when you have just got settled and then oh no, you left the remote on the chest of drawers all the way by the door. Now you don’t have to worry about that again with this bedside caddy keeping all your essentials close by

Behind the door:

Make full use of the storage space you have on the back of your door, easily install racks or hooks that you can store all your toiletries such as lotions and creams. Or you can store other items that maybe only come out at seasonal periods such as wrapping paper and ribbons.

Moving home or need to do some house sorting this Bank Holiday Weekend? If so, we just wanted to let you know that we will be open as usual this Bank Holiday Weekend.

At Beyond Storage we will always prioritise your customer experience, with the best self-storage solutions. As we don’t require a warehouse, we are able to offer some of the most competitive rates on the market, and our storage facilities boast unparalleled accessibility. We have three different units sizes available, if you are unsure which size suits your needs best, give us a call!

Can We Help?
Our experienced site manager, Lindsey Adams, is always available to help with your booking and answer any queries you might have: 08007 720 200

Lack of space can be so frustrating especially if you’re not sure how to utilise the space available in the room. Have you ever said to yourself “where am I going to put it” when a new product is advertised that would save time and hassle in the kitchen? Well there’s no need to worry as we’ve come up with 5 brilliant storage hacks that can transform your life if you have a small kitchen.

1. Under the sink space:

Sometimes there is just no more room for all those bottles of cleaning products, but they are all needed, right? Why not utilise the space under your sink more by simply putting up a tension rod. Let the bottles hang up high as you have made more room for other products below.

2. Cupboards and walls:

Make use of the cupboard or wall space you have available and hang up your mugs on these space-saving and trendy hooks. Its quick, easy and isn't time-consuming and saves a great deal of space too.

3. Inner cupboard door:

All those little bottles of seasonings and spices can really take up a lot of room in a fairly big cupboard that can be used for other things. How about making the best of both worlds by attaching storage holders on the inside door for those little bottles of spice. Now the whole cupboard is being used to the full.

4. Easy chopping:

Wouldn’t you agree that sometimes there is literally no more space to put your chopping board to get dinner ready? How about installing a chopping board just under the counter top so it can be easily pulled out when it’s needed. Not only does it provide more room for you to cook but also it saves lots of space in cupboards where the chopping board would usually go!

5. Hanging Utensils:

Serving spoon, wooden spoon, spatula, whisk just a few of the larger utensils that are essential in the kitchen, yet they are the hardest to store. Make life in the kitchen that little bit easier by hanging them from their own hooks underneath a cupboard space. Now they are easily accessible, you have more drawer space and it looks unique.